Growing Up Agrarian

We are four Christian, homechurched, homeschooled, homesteading, agrarian children growing up in Central Texas on a Ranch. We are Tracy,(15) Jennifer,(10) Robert,(9) and Sarah(5) Bunker. We also have one more brother, Thomas Shepard Bunker, who is in the courts of glory. We like to read books, raise animals, and play on the land. Tracy will be writing about the stuff we do. We hope you enjoy our Adventures!

9.11.2009

Pictures and a quick update

Hello everybody!Jennifer here with some pictures.

I am holding a Texas Tech flag in the wind with Robert beside me. ( Go Texas Tech!!)

Robert, Sugar and me standing in the wind.

It rained a half a inch here last night. Thank the LORD! We have been canning chicken that was on sale this week at the grocery store. We also have been gathering Prickly Pear and Mesquite Pods. We make the Prickly Pear into jam and syrup. The syrup is for a type of punch that we make. The Mesquite Pods are for coffee, flour and jam. The jam is really good! Well I have to go. Bunker Chillens

8.09.2009

A Handing Over of the Reins

Hello , Jennifer here . As you have probably heard, I will be taking over this blog. Tracy's new blog is called The Mellow Rose of Texas. So this blog will be run by Jennifer, Robert and Sarah. Sarah turned six on August second. She is so funny. She thinks that by the time she is eleven that I will still be eleven and that she will be able to boss me around! Sometimes she finds a book, opens to the table of contents and says "Look how close six is to eleven." Crazy girl!

Lately, we children have been sleeping in tents because it gets sooo HOT in the camper. It gets so cool in the tent at night. You can hear all the crickets and the breeze goes right through the tent. Before we go to sleep we sometimes read by the light of a flashlight. If it rains we have to sleep in the camper. It is fun getting to sleep in the tent.

I will maybe be getting a digital camera soon so that I can post pictures. If you have time , please check out Tracy's new blog.

7.22.2009

This Month's Update

Okay, I guess this blog has become a once a month thing, because I just don't have time for much more. Sorry folks, I'm a busy person.

But hopefully my three or four followers will enjoy the few posts that make their way here.

I wrote a Wedding Card Poem for a friend who ... got married ... this month. Feel free to copy and paste for your own wedding cards.

Your wedding day has comeYour dream God has fulfilledYou now begin your lifeWith a man that God has willed

May your lives be fullOf happiness divineAnd God give you childrenOf his own design

Through happiness and trialThrough glad or trying daysMay God give you His strengthAnd you give Him your Praise

Tracy Bunker

Well, I am now milking Pita the Longhorn/Watusi cow. I am currently getting one quart a day. It is more than enough to fulfill our cooking and general consumption needs. I think the attitude Pita has is such a blessing, though I did have to duck a few well aimed kicks the first few days. But she has calmed down a remarkable amount. Although I could do without the constant bellowing if I'm ten minutes or so late.

Jennifer has started a most adorable cross stitching project. I will post a picture once she's done with it. It uses ribbons in some of the stitches for a "3D" effect. I am working on a navy blue shawl for around the house this winter. I am crocheting it in double crochet and transferred over to triple twice in the bottom corner for a few lines just for looks. I will also post a picture of that as soon as I finish it. But it will be awhile, because I want to make it pretty big.

I went to a Longhorn class with Dad on Saturday. It was a class working up to a Inspection"certification". In the class you learn the main characteristics of a true Texas Longhorn. And after you have approved a cow, they go on to DNA testing if the owner wants it CTLR (Cattleman's Texas Longhorn Registry, I think) certified. But a Inspector is just a first filter to single out all the 'impostor' cows. It's fun. I like being around cattle, and around people that know cattle so well such as Debbie Davis, Frank Sharp and Sonny Detmer. Thanks, guys, for the learning experience. I plan on attending the next class in San Antonio, Lord Willing.

Well, I'd better go. Lord Willing I will be posting a article on Rasing Rabbits sometime soon. I wrote it for a magazine, but never sent it in. Maybe I will someday, but for now I hope you folks enjoy it.

6.07.2009

A little late posting, but here it is......

Okay, here I am again, a year older. I turned 16 on May 27th. I don't celebrate birthdays with confetti and presents for biblical reasons, but I am happy that the Lord has so gracefully blessed me with yet another year.

Also, my "BloggerLand" friend, Victoria Rebbecca, has also celebrated another year. She turned sixteen on May 27th, as well! Congrats, Victoria! Praise the Lord for his grace and mercy! Read about what her sweet family did for her on her special day here .

Well, we have bought another Yellow Black Mouthed Curr pup. This one is a male andnamed Pepper. He is sweet and adorable. Sugar is fired up to have a companion, and Pepper is equally curious to have such a "grown up" friend. Stay tuned for pictures of Pepper and Sugar together!

My female Californian rabbit, Sonora, had a litter of eight little bunnies in April,which was a welcome kickstart to another kindling season. One of these little bunnies is very unique. She was born with only three legs! So she has become a "keeper". She will be kept and bred, as I can't bear to let her go. Hopefully her defect is not genetic. But she has a wonderful attitude, very outgoing and friendly.

As you might have learned on Dad's blog, Pita the Watusi/Longhorn dropped a beautiful calf named Petra. So I have finally tamed her to milk, and have been milking her every morning with fair results. She is such a blessing, as we don't buy milk from the store, so fresh milk is a welcome addition to our table.

Well, I have many more subjects to write about, but stay tuned, as they will be in the next edition.

5.04.2009

More pictures

Here is Chico our Longhorn Bull at daybreak. I think Dad took this picture, but I liked it.

Here is Bessie, who was put out to pasture with the big cows, and is a little upset with the lack of attention she gets now, though it is much, much more than any of the other cows get. Spoiled brat.

Here is my attempt at a compost bin. It isn't finished, I have more plans. I don't know a thing about composting, so I just guessed and hoped for the best. Any tips, BloggerLand?? The hay is from under the rabbit hutches, and I am just putting kitchen scraps in it minus any protien items. I turn it once a day, and it looks okay, I guess. But again, I have no idea.